Inside Health

METRICS; Health Spending vs. Results

By HANNAH FAIRFIELD

Published: June 6, 2010

CORRECTION APPENDED

The United States spends much more on health care than countries with similar kinds of economies. So costs are sure to be examined closely as federal officials shape regulations under the new health care law. Americans have abundant access to high-tech diagnostic tools like CT and M.R.I. scanners, and to life-saving surgical procedures like angioplasties.

Yet Americans don't see doctors more often or live longer, healthier lives, according to data from the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development. And Americans' cancer survival rates are not markedly better. In fact, the population of the United States has about the same prevalence of disease as that of other developed countries.

So where does the money go?

Doctor visits, medical procedures and prescription drugs cost vastly more, on average, in the United States than in other countries. The United States also spends more money on health care administration, according to a report by the McKinsey Global Institute.

''We have known for a long time that health care is a market failure,'' said Colleen M. Grogan, a professor of health administration and policy at the University of Chicago. ''We have a system where there is an enormous incentive to charge higher prices, and no accountability to control those prices.''

CHARTS: HOW THE UNITED STATES COMPARES WITH OTHER O.E.C.D. MEMBERS (Sources: Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development; McKinsey Global Institute)

Correction: June 13, 2010, Sunday

This article has been revised to reflect the following correction: A chart last Sunday with the Metrics feature about health care statistics for various countries mislabeled the scale for the number of angioplasty procedures. The figures represented the number per 100,000 people in each country, not 1,000. A corrected chart can be found at nytimes.com/businessday.